Regis adds to parents’ legacy with first UK title

Renee Regis – the daughter of former world indoor champion John Regis – announced her arrival on the national stage with a first senior British title in the women’s 200m at the UK Athletics Indoor Championships in Birmingham.

The 20-year-old took victory in 22.95 seconds and was presented with the gold medal by her father in what she described as a “really nice moment”.

“It was quite funny to see my dad was presenting me with the medal,” Renee told BBC Sport. “He didn’t tell me he was doing it.”

John Regis won the world indoor 200m title in 1989 and went on to win world outdoor silver at 200m, as well as an outdoor European title, while Renee’s mother, Jennifer Stoute, won 4x400m bronze at the 1992 Olympics.

Renee was asked what role her parents had played in helping her to prepare for the championships, where she clocked 23.22 – the year’s best time by a UK athlete – in the heat and then a championship record 22.89 in the semi-final.

“It is a mix of the lessons from my coaches and my parents,” she said.

In the men’s 200m final, Jeremiah Azu claimed victory to complete a sprint double a day after winning 60m gold.

The world indoor 60m champion powered to victory in an impressive 20.77secs.

Athletes were required to compete at the UK Indoors to be considered for selection for next month’s World Indoor Championships in Poland (20-22 March), and must also secure the World Athletics entry standard by the 4 March deadline.

Former world indoor champion Josh Kerr was given a medical exemption after withdrawing from the men’s 3,000m because of a back injury, Tom Keen stepping up in his absence to win the event.

Hannah Nuttall retained the women’s 3,000m title in a championship-record time, crossing the line in 8 minutes 41.75 seconds to take almost two seconds off the previous best set by Jo Pavey (8:43.23) in 2004.

Welsh champion Issy Boffey capitalised on the absence of Olympic gold medallist Keely Hodgkinson to win a third UK indoor title in the women’s 800m, finishing in 1:59.64 – the second-fastest time of her career.

Hodgkinson clocked a national record of 1:56.33 in the heats but did not compete in Sunday’s final as she is due to race in France on Thursday.

Jemma Reekie, a world indoor silver medallist in the 800m, powered away from the field to comfortably win the women’s 1500m title, while Jack Higgins won the men’s event in a championship-record time of 3:38.12.

World champion Amber Anning had to be content with a shock third-place finish in the women’s 400m, edged out by winner Yemi Mary John and Louisa Stoney.